Historically, watersports accessories, particularly handwear and footwear, have been constructed with flat neoprene foam and rubber components which are glued, stitched, and vulcanized in an appropriate shape to form the complete product. These products, while adequate in providing flexibility, comfort, and warmth to the user, often suffer from durability problems, particularly in the seams, where water can leak into the product, making the user cold, trapping water, and making the hands and feet of the user feel heavier and be subject to increased fatigue due to the additional weight of the trapped water.
What is required are watersports accessories that are lightweight, that limit the entry of water to the user's skin, as well as limiting the absorbance of water into the accessories themselves.